1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet switch, a sensing mechanism having the sheet switch, and a card reader having the sensing mechanism.
2. Description of Related Art
Card readers which reproduce the data written on cards such as magnetic cards, IC cards, or the like or record data thereon are installed as subordinate devices in host devices, for example, ATM and the like. Popular card readers of this type include IC card readers which are constructed to prevent IC cards from various frauds (tampering activities) committed in an attempt to reproduce the data stored in the card for counterfeiting (i.e. See JP 2006-180244A).
In the IC card reader as described in JP 2006-180244A, when the IC card reader is removed from the host device and its secure board is physically attacked, the attack is sensed by the tamper-switch, and the key data in the secured board is deleted automatically.
In recent years, in order to prevent tampering, the PCI-PED or PCI-UPT standard based card readers have been demand by the market. In order to satisfy the PCI-PED or PCI-UPT standards, there is a clause requiring sensing of the removal of card readers from host devices.
However, conventionally, a sheet switch is known as a thin light weight switch used for operating parts of electric devices (i.e. See JP 2007-018887A). The sheet switch described in JP 2007-018887A comprises a resin surface sheet on which a contact electrode is mounted and a resin counter sheet on which a counter electrode facing the contact electrode is mounted.